021
9:03:44 PM Canto: So, you guys were headed out of the hospital. 9:05:54 PM Canto: You bring the still groggy Rosengarten with you! 9:06:02 PM Rafe: ((yay!)) 9:07:57 PM Rafe: Rafe gets in the back seat. 9:08:11 PM Canto: He's awake, and is mumbling questions about his wife. 9:08:53 PM Josie: Josie lets Theo drive, as she's still kinda groggy herself. 9:09:58 PM Rafe: Mr. Rosengarten, has your wife been acting odd at all before today? 9:10:23 PM Canto: Rosengarten: No, not at all. 9:11:23 PM Rafe: Does she have access to a gun in your home? 9:12:49 PM Canto: Rosengarten: Don't even own one. I don't like em. Deers and such. 9:13:15 PM Rafe: That's... troubling. 9:13:43 PM Ella: How long have you two been married, if you don't mind me asking? 9:14:07 PM Josie: Maybe he was just *lucky* enough to marry the wrong person. 9:15:05 PM Canto: Rosengarten: Twenny years. 9:15:45 PM Rafe: Does she have any friends or acquaintances you aren't comfortable with? Anyone that seems 'off'? 9:16:22 PM Canto: Rosengarten: NEVER TRUST A BRIDGE GLUB. Club. Club. 9:17:21 PM Rafe: What makes you think of them? 9:18:28 PM Canto: Rosengarten: M'bad at bridge. 9:20:08 PM Rafe: Does she associate with any Germans? 9:20:34 PM Josie: Josie snrks. 9:21:14 PM Canto: Rosengarten: ....germans? 9:22:07 PM Rafe: We think the group trying to 'collect new talent' is German. I'm... just grasping straws here. 9:22:46 PM Canto: Rosengarten: M'gonna take a nap. 9:22:55 PM Canto: He falls alseep again! 9:23:31 PM Ella: Yeah, maybe questioning him isn't such a great idea when he's like this, anyway. 9:24:01 PM Rafe: Rafe shrugs. 9:24:26 PM Josie: He might not remember much. 9:24:31 PM Josie: We need to get somewhere safe. 9:24:53 PM Canto: Theo: We're gonna check into a hotel. 9:25:11 PM Josie: ... a nice one? 9:25:39 PM Canto: Theo: .... something middle of the road. Not too nice, not a dive. 9:27:19 PM Josie: I suppose I'm terribly spoiled. 9:27:43 PM Rafe: Nothing wrong with enjoying luxury. 9:31:05 PM Canto: Theo: When someone is checking hotels looking for someone, they check the dives first, and the high-class places second. Because there's a lot more of the middle-of-the-road establishments out there. 9:33:47 PM Josie: I suppose that's true. 9:34:05 PM Josie: Associating with Howard is ruining my capacity to enjoy ordinary things. 9:34:08 PM Josie: Josie makes a face. 9:34:47 PM Canto: Theo: Hmph. 9:36:11 PM Ella: Listen, friend. For the last few years or so, I lived in a tent for the better part of the year. Pretty much anything is at least slightly better than a tent. 9:36:48 PM Josie: ... sorry. I'm not arguing. Middle of the road is fine. 9:37:19 PM Canto: Theo takes a sudden hard turn. 9:37:35 PM Rafe: And I thought sharing a room at Yale was bad. 9:37:55 PM Canto: Rosengarten's face gets smashed against Rafe's chest. 9:38:01 PM Canto: he snores. 9:38:32 PM Ella: Ella is violently thrown against either the car door or Rosengarten. 9:38:35 PM Rafe: ...something wrong, Crafter? 9:38:38 PM Ella: Ow. 9:39:01 PM Canto: Theo: Being followed. 9:39:14 PM Rafe: Rafe turns to look out the back window. 9:39:20 PM Canto: He takes another hard right! 9:39:39 PM Josie: Josie eeps. 9:39:40 PM Canto: Theo: Black cadillac. Five cars back. 9:39:50 PM Rafe: Rafe braces himself and attempts to catch Rosengarten so he doesn't hurt Ella. 9:39:50 PM Josie: Josie frowns. 9:46:54 PM Josie: I can't help, they're too far away. 9:47:03 PM Josie: Does anyone have a gun or... something? 9:47:17 PM Rafe: No. 9:47:34 PM Ella: Hmmmm... 9:49:34 PM Josie: Ella, can you do anything with your shadows? 9:49:42 PM Ella: Possibly. 9:50:17 PM Ella: Ella grins like a cheshire cat and turns around in her seat to get a better view of the tailing car. 9:50:32 PM Canto: It's not easy, but you get a glimpse! 9:51:35 PM Ella: Ella attempts to pull shadows over the surface of their windshield, specifically the driver's side. 9:52:06 PM Canto: The pursuing car starts swerving wildly! luckily there's not a lot of traffic thanks to the snowstorm. 9:52:41 PM Rafe: Good job. 9:52:49 PM Ella: Ooh, I didn't know I had that much range. 9:53:24 PM Ella: I'll have to test out just how far I've got at some point. 9:54:22 PM Josie: I'm really really glad you do! 9:55:37 PM Rafe: Seconded. 9:56:00 PM Rafe: My ability is useful for an actor. Not so much for high speed car chases. 9:56:20 PM Canto: Theo takes another hard left to lose the tail while the other car is distracted! 9:58:02 PM Josie: You're good for beating people up too. 9:58:10 PM Josie: Josie bonks Theo, probably. 9:58:11 PM Josie: Sorry. 9:58:55 PM Rafe: ...I suppose that's true. I prefer to avoid that sort of thing when I can, though. 9:59:03 PM Canto: Theo: My fault, really. 9:59:18 PM Canto: Theo cuts through an alley that almost looks too narrow! 9:59:33 PM Canto: Theo: Take the wheel for a sec, Josie. 9:59:41 PM Josie: Right. 9:59:56 PM Josie: Josie takes it, squirming a bit to get closer and hopefully, have a bit more control. 10:00:52 PM Canto: Theo rolls down his window! 10:02:20 PM Josie: Careful! 10:02:32 PM Josie: Josie concentrates on not scraping the walls of the alley! 10:03:32 PM Canto: Theo pulls out a weapon from under his seat and points it behind the car. It makes a 'thrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm' noise that you can feel in your molars! 10:05:02 PM Josie: What *is* that??? 10:05:36 PM Rafe: Something from a science fiction film, obviously. 10:07:26 PM Canto: A bunch of snow gets kicked up, including some from the rooftops of the buildings you're driving between, which promptly sets down into a, five foot snowdrift in the alley behind you. 10:07:56 PM Ella: Ooh. 10:08:15 PM Ella: Very useful. 10:08:23 PM Rafe: I take it back. Never seen a movie like that! 10:09:12 PM Canto: Theo comes back in and takes the wheel again. 10:09:56 PM Josie: Josie squirms back over. 10:10:02 PM Josie: That was exciting! 10:10:18 PM Canto: Theo: I usually just use it to cclear snowy roads. 10:12:14 PM Canto: Theo gets back onto a main road and drives to a small motor lodge! 10:12:35 PM Canto: I don't know if they had Howard Johnsons back then, but that sort of place. 10:13:25 PM Rafe: Rafe helps Rosengarten and Ella out of the back seat. 10:13:48 PM Josie: Is he going to be all right? 10:14:22 PM Canto: Rosengarten is still snoring. 10:14:59 PM Canto: Theo: Stay here, I'll go get some rooms. 10:15:27 PM Rafe: ...I don't know. But I can't blame him for wanting to just sleep until the nightmare's over. 10:17:03 PM Canto: Theo goes intot he office! 10:17:31 PM Ella: Ella shivers a bit. "Eesh, it's cold. Oh, well. Could be worse." 10:18:02 PM Rafe: Rafe frowns. "Wish we'd gotten our coats back." 10:19:38 PM Josie: I shouldn't've mentioned Howard. 10:20:02 PM Rafe: No? 10:20:05 PM Josie: No. 10:21:40 PM Rafe: Crafter's ego easily bruised? 10:23:07 PM Josie: No, I don't think so. 10:23:15 PM Rafe: Then what's the problem? 10:26:12 PM Josie: ... me, mostly. 10:26:47 PM Rafe: I'd hardly call you a problem. 10:28:46 PM Josie: Mmm, what *would* you call me? 10:30:06 PM Rafe: Rafe laughs. "Now you're just trying to get me in trouble!" 10:30:33 PM Josie: With who? Ella? 10:32:00 PM Rafe: Rafe grins at Ella. 10:34:05 PM Canto: Theo returns with roomkeys! 10:34:42 PM Canto: It's one of those little motels with the seperate bungaloes! 10:34:55 PM Josie: Are we all in the same room? 10:37:06 PM Canto: Theo: I got two bungaloes with two rooms each. Then I made reservations in my name at another hotel uptown. 10:37:34 PM Josie: Josie nods. 10:37:47 PM Ella: Smart move. 10:39:23 PM Josie: Well. Now what? 10:39:57 PM Canto: Theo: Now I make sure the rooms are warded while you guys warm up. 10:40:03 PM Canto: He tosses you guys the keys! 10:40:29 PM Josie: Josie takes one. 10:40:43 PM Josie: Can we help at all? 10:41:22 PM Canto: Theo: Nah, it's simple stuff. Go warm up. 10:41:44 PM Rafe: Rafe grabs Rosengarten and helps him follow Josie to the room. "It'll be better if we stick to one until we're ready to split off." 10:41:52 PM Josie: Right. 10:42:14 PM Josie: Josie grabs a blanket off a bed and wraps Rosengarten in it, then tosses another blanket to Rafe. 10:43:04 PM Canto: Each bungalow has two rooms seperated by a thin wall. 10:43:11 PM Rafe: ...are there enough? 10:43:18 PM Rafe: ((and is there a fireplace? lol)) 10:43:33 PM Josie: Enough what? 10:43:49 PM Rafe: Blankets. I can make myself a bit warmer. You and Ella should use them. 10:44:01 PM Canto: There's a fireplace. 10:44:35 PM Rafe: Rafe starts making a fire in the fireplace. 10:47:04 PM Josie: Josie gives the blanket to Ella and then takes another one for herself. 10:47:49 PM Ella: Thanks. 10:48:19 PM Ella: Ella wraps the blanket around herself and snuggles down into it. 10:48:39 PM Canto: There's a small kitchenette, too, with all the fixin's for non-drugged coffee. 10:50:16 PM Josie: Josie makes coffee. And then tea. 10:53:17 PM Rafe: So what are we thinking? 10:53:54 PM Josie: Wine, and lots of it. 10:54:18 PM Rafe: Rafe chuckles. "I can get behind that. I'll even make the run. They won't recognize me." 10:54:18 PM Rafe: Rafe winks. 10:58:18 PM Rafe: Do you have a preference? Either of you? 10:59:03 PM Josie: Red. 10:59:49 PM Ella: I kinda don't drink. just grab stuff for hot chocolate. It feels like it's been ages since I've had hot chocolate. 11:00:05 PM Rafe: I'll see what I can do. 11:00:37 PM Josie: ... be careful. 11:02:47 PM Rafe: Rafe smiles as his skin darkens and he takes on the face of what looks to be an Italian man. "They'll never see me coming." 11:03:13 PM Josie: As long as they don't see you coming *back.* 11:04:36 PM Rafe: Forget about it. But... you might not recognize me, so... password's.... Lindy Hop. 11:05:42 PM Josie: Don't forget, you promised to take me dancing. And Ella too. 11:05:56 PM Canto: Theo comes in, shivering. 11:06:10 PM Rafe: You can count on it... just tonight's not turning out to be a good night for it. 11:06:17 PM Josie: Josie brings him a blanket, and a cup of hot coffee. 11:06:40 PM Rafe: Mind if I borrow the car? It's chilly out and I seem to have forgotten my coat. 11:07:00 PM Canto: Theo nods, and tosses him the keys. 11:07:06 PM Josie: He's going out. Do we need anything else? 11:07:17 PM Josie: Twine, toothpicks and licorice sticks? 11:08:20 PM Canto: Theo: Candy. 11:08:41 PM Rafe: Any particular type? 11:09:16 PM Josie: Chocolate? 11:10:04 PM Canto: Theo: Anything with sugar is fine. 11:10:16 PM Rafe: I shall return! 11:10:23 PM Rafe: Rafe heads out! 11:11:31 PM Josie: Josie waves at him. 11:11:43 PM Canto: Theo stands near the fire. 11:12:00 PM Ella: Ella would wave, but she is currently a blanket burrito. 11:12:23 PM Josie: ... are you all right, Theo? 11:12:49 PM Canto: Theo: I'm fine, just cold. 11:13:56 PM Josie: I hope Rafe'll be all right out there. 11:14:09 PM Canto: Theo: I think he will. How's the guy? 11:14:47 PM Josie: Sleeping, I think. 11:14:49 PM Ella: Drooly. 11:16:19 PM Josie: He's not snoring. 11:16:27 PM Canto: Theo: So, his wife attacked you? 11:16:40 PM Josie: She drugged us. In the coffee. 11:17:02 PM Ella: And then pointed a gun at us when we tried to stumble away. 11:18:45 PM Canto: Theo: Hmm. You think she was replaced? Or a long-term mole? 11:19:26 PM Ella: Or mind-controlled. That might be a possibility. 11:19:36 PM | Edited 11:19:55 PM Ella: Maybe possessed. 11:19:49 PM Josie: ... that's awful. 11:20:30 PM Canto: Theo: Could be. 11:21:15 PM Canto: Theo: We know they had his name, so he was probably under observation. 11:24:50 PM Canto: Theo: Why lock him up when they can keep him safe and secure in his own life until they need him? 11:26:16 PM Rafe: Rafe returns! With a couple sacks. 11:28:01 PM Rafe: Time to get the party started. Chocolate, hot chocolate, red wine that pairs perfectly with chocolate.... 11:28:14 PM Rafe: Did I miss anything fun? 11:28:33 PM Rafe: Rafe changes back into Rafe. 11:28:45 PM Canto: Theo: Nope. Just theorizing and chattering teeth. Did you bring marshmallows, by any chance? 11:29:05 PM Rafe: Rafe pulls some out of the bag with a flourish and a smile. 11:29:19 PM Rafe: Can't have hot chocolate without marshmallows. I'm not a barbarian. 11:30:56 PM Canto: Theo nods, and starts rummaging through the stuff Rafe got. 11:31:27 PM Rafe: Rafe grabs a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. 11:32:32 PM Rafe: Just like camping. 11:33:03 PM Josie: Josie smiles. 11:33:11 PM Josie: Without all that unpleasant nature. 11:33:16 PM Josie: Josie spreads out a blanket in front of the fire. 11:33:36 PM Rafe: Rafe pours two glasses of wine. "Theo, would you like some?" 11:34:09 PM | Edited 11:34:13 PM Canto: Theo: No thanks. I'm not much of a wine drinker. 11:34:35 PM Rafe: Rafe takes one to Josie and keeps the other. 11:34:51 PM Josie: Josie sips it, and then sits in front of the fire. 11:35:09 PM Josie: Come sit with me! All of you, any of you. 11:35:21 PM Rafe: Rafe obliges! 11:35:39 PM Rafe: If you insist. Ghost story time? 11:36:39 PM Ella: Ella shuffles her blanket off and starts making hot chocolate. 11:36:44 PM Josie: That sounds fun. 11:38:45 PM Canto: Theo sits at a small table and pulls out a half disassembled radio. "I'm good, I need to work on this. I'll listen, though." 11:39:16 PM Josie: Ella, then. When you're done. Sit by me! Like being children again. 11:40:35 PM Ella: Sure. Hold on. 11:42:56 PM Rafe: So... who's got one? 11:44:16 PM Ella: Ella finishes making hot chocolate and joins the two on the blanket. 11:44:26 PM Josie: I don't. 11:49:17 PM Rafe: Ella? 11:49:42 PM Ella: Hm. I might have one. 11:51:25 PM Ella: It might not make very much sense, but I have one. 11:52:57 PM Josie: Good. Theo, would you get the lights? 11:53:37 PM Canto: Theo looks up from his work and nods, shutting the lamp off. 11:56:02 PM Josie: Thanks. 11:56:20 PM Canto: He puts on a pair of goggles and gets back to work! 11:57:11 PM Ella: Okay, this is from my past life, so the details may be a bit fuzzy. 11:57:51 PM Rafe: Ooooh a real one. 11:58:37 PM Josie: Those are the best kind. AM Ella: There once was a young boy named Ganbaatar. There were actually a lot of boys named Ganbaatar, because it was a popular name, but we're talking about this kid in particular. AM | Edited 12:34:35 AM Ella: His mother was very superstitious, near-constantly nagging him about a great deal of silly things. "Never wear red on a tuesday!" "Always take a handful of water from the river before going swimming" "Finish your food or you'll attract scavenger spirits!" "Disregard any voices you hear in the forest!" "Never say a demon's name out loud!" AM Josie: Josie listens raptly, sipping her wine and nibbling chocolates. AM Ella: One of the most important, and therefore most-repeated bits of advice she would offer him was to never approach strange lights in the forest. AM Ella: One day, Ganbaatar was out catching fish for dinner, when he saw a shiny rock at the bottom of the river. Now, Ganbaatar had a few hobbies, and one of them was rock-collecting. Without hesitation, he dove in and swam to the bottom. AM Ella: He snatched up the rock and was about to surface, when he came face-to-face with a river spirit! AM Ella: The thing was long like an eel, scaly like a fish, and had a face like a cross between that of an anglerfish and that of a pig! AM Josie: I've had teachers like that. AM | Edited 12:18:08 AM Rafe: Rafe drinks his wine and listens and nearly snorts his wine! AM Ella: The spirit grinned at him, showing all of its teeth, and said "Well. It seems you forgot something in your haste. Since it is your first time being so negligent, I will not kill you, but I WILL teach you a lesson." AM Ella: The thing swam speedily around him, spinning him about in the water and propelling him further downstream. When his lungs were nearly about to burst with longing for air, suddenly the spirit disappeared, and Ganbaatar's head broke the surface of the water! AM Ella: He looked around, and saw that he was nowhere near where he had jumped into the river. AM Ella: He was deep in the forest. AM Rafe: Did he make it back? AM Ella: Ella grins toothily at Rafe. "Keep listening and you'll find out." AM Rafe: Rafe smiles. AM Ella: Anyway, he decided to find his way back to the village. Almost everyone knows that you should follow the river back if you've been swept downstream, but Ganbaatar didn't want to deal with the spirit again. AM Ella: So he went through the forest. AM Josie: Not smart. AM Ella: Nope. AM Ella: The forest was one of those unfathomably old ones, where the trees get so thick that even at noon, the leafy canopy keeps it at a dusky light level. AM Ella: Ella illustrates by forming the scene with shadowmancy in front of the fire. AM | Edited 12:31:54 AM Ella: So here he was, walking along, when he hears something. AM Rafe: Rafe reaches over to the bottle and tops off both glasses. AM Ella: "Hey!" *one of the shadowy bushes rustles* AM Josie: Josie nods to Rafe. AM Ella: He goes over to investigate, and finds another kid! They look like they're younger than he is. Much younger. They might be about five years old. AM Ella: "Hey boy!" The child says, "Are you lost, boy?" AM Ella: "No, I know how to get back to my village from here. ...I think." AM Ella: "Village? What vill- ...oh. Oooooooh..." AM Ella: The child stood there for a bit, looking awkwardly at him, then bonked him on the head with a stick and disappeared when he was busy reacting to being bonked on the head with a stick. AM Josie: Uhoh. AM Rafe: Rafe raises an eyebrow AM Ella: Now Ganbaatar was at least mildly lost, rather confused, and had a bump on his head. AM Ella: He trekked off through the forest, heading in a direction that he thought would lead him back to the village. AM Ella: As he walked, his surroundings started to get darker. The vegetation seemed to be denser and taller, and the animal sounds that had been abundant when he first entered the forest were much scarcer now. AM Ella: As he passed another group of trees, he saw something flickering in the distance. AM Ella: At this point, any light looked like salvation to him, and he took off in that direction. AM Ella: But when he got to where he saw it, it was gone! AM Rafe: ....mother's advice is too often unheeded. AM Ella: Seems so. AM Josie: Never go to a hotel with a strange man, or men. AM Rafe: Rafe glances at Josie, then at Rosengarten. "No?" AM Josie: Mother's advice is too often unheeded. AM Rafe: Rafe chuckles. "Continue, Ella!" AM Ella: He looked around for awhile and couldn't see it. Just as he was going to give up and try to find his way back, he heard a whistle, and turned around to see it a short distance away! He ran after it, and it disappeared yet again! This repeated for awhile, and as he continued on, the forest around him became stranger and stranger, with trees wider around than Fortuna is tall, and strangely-shaped boulders, and giant vegetation. The forest became almost pitch-black. He didn't notice, as he was too focused on the light. AM | Edited 1:02:27 AM Ella: Eventually the light didn't disappear, and he caught up enough to examine it better. AM Ella: It was just a fist-sized ball of something. Something that emitted light. AM Ella: Ganbaatar was heartbroken! he wasn't sure what he thought he would find, but he was sure this wasn't it! AM Ella: He looked down sadly and saw that the section of ground that it was hovering over wasn't just a section of ground. AM Ella: It was a door! AM Ella: Well, a hatch. AM Ella: A tiny little hatch with a tiny little bell next to it, and a tiny little section of glass so someone inside could see out. AM Ella: It also had a tiny little handle, which Ganbaatar grabbed and pulled, opening the hatch and revealing a tiny little tunnel with a tiny little ladder leading down. AM Ella: This tiny little tunnel was, coincidentally, just the right size for Ganbaatar. AM Ella: So he went down the tiny little ladder, into the tiny little tunnel, closing the tiny little hatch behind him, the tiny little bell making a tiny little tinkling noise as it did so. AM Ella: And so he descended down into this tunnel. At some point, his feet missed the bars, and he fell the rest of the way down! AM Ella: Which was only like ten feet. AM Ella: He was now in a wider, horizontal tunnel. He couldn't find the ladder, though. Then he looked up and saw a hole in the ceiling, with a ladder in it. He realized he could not reach the ladder and was trapped! AM Josie: ... not good. AM Ella: He sat there for awhile, considering what to do next. Before he could decide what to do, however, something tripped over him. AM Ella: It was one of the giants his mother was always warning him about. He turned and ran in the direction it had come from, hoping it hadn't seen him. AM Ella: He kept running for a long while, and as he did so, the tunnel widened into a cave, and the cave widened into a vast cavern. AM Ella: This cavern was actually somewhere he recognized, and it opened out at a hill near the village. That hill had many such caves, and he often played there, despite his mother's warnings of giants. AM Josie: Josie shakes her head. AM Ella: He continued running until he reached his mother's house. On his way there, he felt very happy with himself. "I've escaped from the underworld!" he said, "I killed a giant! Nobody can stop me, not even Marrah! ...wait. Maybe that WAS Marrah!" AM Ella: Marrah, in case you don't know, was a legendary giantess who kidnapped children and baked their souls into tarts. AM Ella: If something eats souls, it eventually becomes a demon. AM Rafe: I didn't know that. AM Ella: Well, I don't know if it's true, but that's what people believed. AM Canto: Theo: It's pretty accurate. AM Josie: It makes sense. AM Ella: You learn something new every day, I guess. Anyway, so he reaches his house, and find his mother in the kitchen. AM Ella: He told her about his adventures in the river, and the forest, and the cave! She didn't turn around, as she was busy cleaning some fish. AM Ella: "And then I killed Marrah!" he said, trying to provoke a response. AM Ella: She stopped cleaning the fish, and put her knife down, but still didn't turn around. AM Ella: Then she said, in a rather small voice: "Are you sure?" AM Ella: "Of course I'm sure! ...Why?" AM | Edited 2:02:10 AM Ella: Ella appears, leaning down into Josie's and Rafe's field of view from above. "BECAUSE THAT'S MY NAME, BOY!" AM Rafe: Rafe is startled and spills a little of his wine before chuckling. "You got me." AM Ella: Heheh. AM Ella: ...And then she ate him. AM Rafe: Rafe laughs. AM Josie: That was a good one. AM Josie: Josie smiles.